Dungeness Bird Observatory Visit, 31 August – 7 September

We have just returned from Kent, having spent a week ringing at the Dungeness Bird Observatory.
While we were there, things were busy with the Autumn migration; many birds and butterflies were
passing through on their way to France and beyond. Numbers of birds in the net began fairly quiet,
with a trickle of Blackcaps and Willow Warblers. We kept busy by setting spring traps for Whinchat
and Stonechat, in which we were successful. On Wednesday, conditions for mist netting were
perfect, and we were treated to 60 birds of a range of species, including Pied Flycatcher, Sedge
Warbler, and Whitethroat. This was their best day for ringing so far this year! Dungeness is lucky to
get one Grasshopper Warbler a year, but we managed to catch 3 while we were down there.
Perhaps this is an indication of a good breeding year for certain species. Results like these indicate
how important the work of observatories are for monitoring the fortunes of both common and rarer
birds.

A personal highlight for Holly was ringing a Firecrest, a species that is hardly recorded in
Nottinghamshire and a fairly rare catch for the Bird Observatory too. It was a striking male with a
vivid fluorescent orange crest.

There was also a Wryneck in the scrub of the desert area where we were spring trapping. On this
occasion, seen but not caught, though it certainly lured in the birdwatchers.

Two days were totally rained off with persistent high winds and storms. Although it wasn’t mist
netting weather, we made the most of seawatching and making time to research other projects.
Upon arrival, the area seemed very quiet for nature, seemingly with little habitat. However, our
experiences through the week proved this to be incorrect: whether it was the full moth traps each
night, the migrating birds, or the friendly foxes, wildlife was everywhere on this part of the coast. It
was a pleasure to stay here for a great week. Thanks to David, Tom and Jill for all their help and
enthusiasm.

Holly and Josh

Dungeness (HJ)

Firecrest (JP)

Whinchat (HJ)

 

Ramsdale Park Golf Club - Sunday 1 September

It was a surprise to travel into drizzle on my way to Ramsdale early on Sunday as it was forecast to be dry until midday!

By the time we had the nets set, the drizzle had stopped. We put out 5 sound lures including Tree Pipit. We started to catch fairly steadily but then at about 0950, just after a net round and before we had finished processing, the heavens opened. We quickly decided to put the bagged birds we had under cover and headed out to close the nets. About 45 mins later the downpour stopped and we started to open the nets again but with drenched vegetation the birds seemed reluctant to move and we caught little else. 

We took down and headed home with our wet kit, having caught 32 birds, comprising: Blackbird 1, Blackcap 14, Blue Tit 4, Chiffchaff 9, Goldcrest 1, Goldfinch 1, Great Tit 1, Willow Warbler 1.

Having travelled just a couple of miles from Ramsdale I noticed everywhere was dry. Once home I was informed there had not been any rain at all in Toton!

Kev

Passerine primary feather #10

It is recognised that all European passerines have 10 primary feathers, which are often numbered for reference, but confusingly this can be done in both directions. Here I am using the system which numbers descendently - meaning the innermost is #1 and the outermost #10. 

In some passerine families, such as Alaudidae (larks), Hirundinidae (swallows), Motacillidae (pipits & wagtails), Bombycillidae (waxwings), Fringillidae (finches) and Emberizidae (buntings), the outermost primary (#10) is sometimes very small and difficult to detect (Svensson - Identification Guide to European Passerines).

This is also recognised in Moult and Ageing of European Passerines by Jenni & Winkler: “In some passerine species, the outermost primary is about half as long as the adjacent one (e.g., Wren Troglodytes troglodytes), but in most species P10 is very much reduced. In the Alaudidae, Hirundinidae, Motacillidae, Passcridae, Fringillidae and Emberizidae, P10 is extremely small and difficult to detect under the primary coverts.”

In the guide Moult in Birds by Ginn & Melville, they go one step further and describe the relative length of P10 and give it a description, e.g. for Wren it is P:10 o.r.

This means that Wrens have 10 primary feathers but the Outermost is Reduced (o.r.). But what do these descriptions look like and how do they affect our ability to accurately score moult?

o.r. - outermost reduced

Wren - P:10 o.r. = outermost reduced

Blackcap - P:10 o.r. = outermost reduced

 

o.m.r. - outermost much reduced

Robin - P:10 o.m.r. - outermost much reduced

 

v.r. - very reduced

Dunnock - P9+1 v.r.

So, for these families, it should be relatively easy to identify P10, or if it is missing, and therefore accurately determine a primary moult score for all 10 primaries.

But what about those families whose outer primary is tiny and difficult to detect?

For these species, Ginn & Melville describe P10 as m. 'minute' or v. 'vestigial'. Like this example for Bullfinch - P:9+1 m.

m. - minute

Bullfinch - P9+1 m.

The only passerines with a vestigial outer primary (P:9+1 v.) I can find in Ginn & Melville are Swallow, House Martin, Sand Martin and Bearded Tit.

Vestigial “is most often used in biology to describe something that either didn’t finish developing or has become, through evolution, pretty much useless”.

So, it’s pretty difficult to allocate a moult score to a feather we may not even be able to find.

Fortunately, guidance from the BTO, as found in A Field Reference Guide for Ringing and Nest Recording allows that for passerines with P10 which cannot be accurately scored, X, small outer feather not scored, can be added to the primary moult score, e.g. 555555432X.

However, with some knowledge of the length of the outermost primary and the expected moult sequence of passerines, some judgement should be used here. For example, if P9 is still an old feather then in all probability P10 will also still be an old feather. Likewise, if P9 is a new, fully grown feather, it is highly likely that primary 10 is also a new, or very nearly, fully grown feather. In these instances, the appropriate score can be added.

Mick P

Holme Pierrepont - Monday 26 August

What else would we do on a bank holiday Monday but go to Skylarks NR? The weather was mostly
calm and sunny, though the breeze picked up a little as the morning progressed. There appeared to be
a lot of birds flitting around the bushes as we set up, and the first couple of net rounds produced
a surprising number of birds (considering the total birds for last week was 12, we weren’t sure
what to expect this week).

We finished up with a total of 69 birds including 8 retraps: Chiffchaff 28, Blackcap 13, Reed
Warbler 10, Lesser Whitethroat 7, Garden Warbler 5, Willow Warbler 3, Wren 1, Song Thrush 1,
Blackbird 1.

Although the numbers of passage warblers was good, it was overall a limited species list with
hardly any resident species. Notably, we didn’t catch any Robins, Dunnocks or tits. 

It was lovely to have two new people, Adele and Rebecca, come along for the morning to
experience bird ringing. They asked really good questions and were so keen to learn more
about each bird species and what we look for when ageing and sexing them.

Josh shared his homemade cinnamon spice cake which was absolutely delicious, and the
blackberries remain plentiful. 

Holly

Gedling Country Park - Friday 2 August

I'd not visited Gedling Country Park since January, having decided to wait autumn passage to start, as I didn't think there would be much to catch in spring and during the breeding season. I had my first visit on 21 July, and just put up the nets in the positions I had used previously, in the scrubby area to the west of the park. One net was reasonably productive, but the other only caught a handful of birds - its position being less than ideal against a backdrop of thick birch woodland.

I visited about a week later to cut out a couple of new rides in the more sparsely vegetated scrub nearby, just two areas - one enough for a 12m net the other only a 9m. These looked much more suitable for catching migrant warblers, with low hawthorn and birch scrub within a mix of more open areas.
A couple of days later I returned and got the nets up. One net had a tape playing mixed warblers, and the other the phyllosc/lotti/crest mix that I've found to be very effective so far.

I was pleasantly surprised to catch a total of 51 birds, and it was one of those days where I think I could have stayed and caught steadily all day, but obviously this has implications in the welfare of the birds, and with time restraints of my own I packed up around 1130, having had nets up for around 4 hrs.

It was a pleasure to handle a few species I haven't really had experience of in the hand since acquiring my C permit, particularly Whitethroat, but also having numerous Chiffchaffs and Willow Warblers, rather than catching the odd 1 or 2 a year in the garden. A few Linnet also came to tape at the end of the session.

Totals for the day were 9 Willow Warbler, 9 Blue Tit, 8 Great Tit, 8 Chiffchaff, 3 Long-tailed Tit, 3 Linnet, 3 Robin, 3 Whitethroat, 2 Dunnock and singles of Goldcrest, Blackcap and Goldfinch. There was also one retrap Blue Tit.

Hopefully I'll manage a couple more sessions before turning my attention to Meadow Pipits in September.

Tom 

Ramsdale Park Golf Club - Sunday 18 August

This morning we caught our annual Tree Pipit. Only one this time, where last year we caught
three. It was a young bird in bright, fresh plumage, already on its southerly migration. 

It was also good to finally get a catch of Blackcaps, and dare I say it, even Blue Tits, which have
had a terrible breeding season.

Overall it was still markedly quiet though and the only birds that found the net were right next to
the tape lures.

Totals: 13 Blackcap, 9 Blue Tit, 5 Chiffchaff, 5 Great Tit, 2 Garden Warbler, 1 Wren, 1 Willow
Warbler, 1 Tree Pipit, 1 Robin, 1 Dunnock, 1 Coal Tit.

Holly

Tree Pipit (HJ)

 

Kestrels

Some proud box owners in Epperstone managed to get pictures of their young Kestrels a few weeks ago. Fingers crossed they are still going strong. 

Holme Pierrepont - Sunday 11 August

A still and bright morning greeted us for the second visit to Holme Pierrpont (Skylarks NR) this week. All the usual nets were set and we were quite hopeful after a reasonable catch on Thursday.

However, it was a very quiet start, with only 3 birds in the nets first round. Sadly, it continued to be very quiet all morning, as the sun shone on a lot of the nets and it got hotter.

Of the 12 birds caught, all were juvenile, except the single willow warbler, which had completed its moult. The two retraps were the Bullfinch and Blue Tit.

Final numbers: 1 Bullfinch, 1 Blue Tit, 1 Willow Warbler, 2 Chiffchaff, 2 Garden Warbler, 4 Reed Warbler, 1 Cetti's Warbler.

However, at least there was time to enjoy the insect life and blackberries.

This site has changed so much over the last 10 years I've been visiting it with SNRG, so much more growth of trees and undergrowth, with many of the old rides no longer visible.

Sue

net ride (SL)

 

Southern Hawker (HJ)

Goldfinch update: 100+ colour-ringed

We've now ringed 119 Goldfinches in Nottingham with yellow colour-rings that we hope people can resight in their gardens and inform new data on population size, distribution, migration, and survival rates.

Of those 119, 57% have been juveniles, and that number is only going to increase as now is the time when young Goldfinches start to flock and move around to find food. It’ll be peak Goldfinch season in gardens over the next couple of months.

You'll need binoculars or a good camera to be able to read the two-digit alphanumeric code on the ring. At the moment, all the rings we're using are yellow with black text, and the ring is on the left leg.

Email your sightings to goldfinchresighting@gmail.com

Pictured is a juvenile Goldfinch with the combination 'IL' who visits our garden often and was ringed on 13 July.

Thank you to the funders who made this research possible: East Midlands Airport Community Fund, Mansfield Building Society and Lush Charity Pot.

Holly

 

Holme Pierrepont - Thursday 8 August

Although it seemed fairly quiet at Skylarks with not much song or movement of birds, we had
another decent mid-week catch with a total of 68 birds caught including 6 retraps. The surprises
were the high number of Chiffchaffs and the low number of Blackcaps. It was good to see a
few Sedge Warblers and Lesser Whitethroats.

We saw a good example of a fault bar in the Cetti’s Warbler - a dark line across the tail
indicating that when the bird was growing in the nest it experienced a period of poor weather.
Also, some castellations in the tail of a young Willow Warbler - tiny chips out of the ends of the
tail feathers from when the bird was growing in a domed nest.

The final totals were: Chiffchaff 27, Blackcap 8, Reed Warbler 8, Willow Warbler 3, Robin 3, Lesser
Whitethroat 3, Garden Warbler 3, Wren 2, Long-tailed Tit 2, Sedge Warbler 2, Blue Tit 2, Great
Tit 2, Dunnock 1, Cetti’s Warbler 1, Bullfinch 1.

Our adventures in baking continued this time with a strawberry and rhubarb pie. 

Holly

Cetti's Warbler growth bar (JP)

Sedge Warbler (SL)

juvenile Willow Warbler tail showing castellations (HJ)

Ramsdale Park Gold Club – Sunday 4 August

We went up to the golf club near Calverton for the first time this year. As a result, the net rides were very overgrown and required a lot of treading down. Despite the weather forecasts, patches of drizzle moved through mid-morning. The site seemed very quiet, with few birds moving around. Many net rounds were blank, and the totals from the morning only managed to reach 24, including 2 retraps. This is in stark contrast to the same time in 2015, when 151 birds were caught here. The highlight from the morning was a juvenile male Sparrowhawk.

Totals were: 8 Chiffchaffs, 3 Blackcaps, 1 Wren, 1 Goldfinch, 1 Dunnock, 1 Robin, 2 Great Tits, 6 Blue Tits, and 1 Sparrowhawk.

Joshua 

 

Holme Pierrepont - Wednesday 31 July

It was great to get out for a cheeky midweek session today with Kev, Kev, Gary, Holly and Josh. Having not been to the site for a couple of years, I struggled to recognise many areas, the vegetation has grown up so much. It remains an interesting spot, but one that's increasingly difficult to net. However, despite this and the hot weather, we had a good day and continued to catch well beyond midday.

The day was dominated by Chiffchiffs and notable for the number of Garden Warblers, one of which was a control. The final tally was 79, which included 6 retraps and the control. This comprised: 32 Chiffchaff, 4 Wren, 4 Willow Warbler, 3 Long-tailed Tit, 11 Blackcap, 5 Blue Tit, 8 Reed Warbler, 1 Whitethroat, 1 Chaffinch, 8 Garden Warbler, 1 Dunnock and 1 Blackbird.

One Garden Warbler (see photos below) had, unusually, moulted a handful of remiges, tertials and coverts and many other adult birds were now in full wing moult.

It's generally been a poor year for insects, but we noted several species of butterfly, moth and dragonfly. However, the undoubted highlight away from the birds were the abundant and succulent blackberries, some fresh from the bush, some returned to the site as delicious pie by Holly courtesy of the 2023 season.

Pete

Garden Warbler showing an unusual moult pattern

Garden Warbler showing an unusual moult pattern

Willow Warbler

The Forge Nature Reserve – Ringing Demo, Sunday 28 July

The Forge Nature Reserve is a privately owned reserve just on the Derbyshire side of the county boundary at Ironville. Seven of us were joined by volunteers from the Cromford Canal and Codnor Park Reservoir Group and the Forge Nature Reserve to carry out a bird ringing demonstration on the reserve.

Following several meetings and site visits, two quieter areas of the large site were identified where we could erect two lines of nets which would be close to a suitable area for our base.

All the birds caught were taken to our ringing base where groups of interested visitors waited to see the birds and the ringing process.

The morning started well, considering how quiet the site seemed, with around 24 birds in the first catch. These birds were ringed, data gathered and then shown to the enthusiastic visitors before being released.

As is often the case, this was the best catch of the day with numbers dwindling as the morning progressed. Luckily we always caught something to show the 20 or so visitors throughout the morning.

We packed up around 11:30, the warm temperatures also influencing this decision.

In total we ringed 60 birds, comprising: 13 Chiffchaff, 7 Willow Warbler, 2 Wren, 1 Garden Warbler, 4 Robin, 8 Blue Tit, 10 Great Tit, 1 Bullfinch, 9 Blackcap, 1 Reed Bunting, 2 Reed Warbler, 1 Whitethroat and 1 Woodpigeon.

So, a great morning and a reasonably good catch on a site we have never operated at before.

Many thanks to everyone who attended but particular thanks must go to Sally Fisher, for allowing us onto her reserve, and to members of the Cromford Canal and Codnor Park Reservoir Group for publicising the event, organising the visitors and opening the gates!

Hopefully further studies can be undertaken on the birds using The Forge Nature Reserve.

We would very much like to thank the Cromford Canal and Codnor Park Reservoir Group for their generous donation. 

Mick P & Kev 

Demo base (KJH)

Terns and Sand Martins at Attenborough, Thurs 18 July

This morning, we made our final visit of the year to check on and ring the Common Tern chicks
on the floating platform at Attenborough Nature Reserve. On our previous visit, there were a
number of eggs still to hatch, and today we were able to ring 12 chicks and retrap 1 chick that
was very small on the last visit.

We had also intended to check on the Oystercatcher chick, but the engine of the boat gave out
so we had to row back. The Oystercatcher will now be monitored from the shore and we hope
that it’s still being provisioned by its parents until it’s big enough to fledge.

Following our workout, we ringed 3 Sand Martin chicks at the artificial sand bank. It seems that
only one pair decided to try for a second brood.

Holly

 

Holme Pierrepont Ringing Demo - Sunday 14 July

Today we held a ringing demonstration at Holme Pierrepont for the Friends of the Hook Nature Reserve group. The numbers caught still seemed low compared to previous years, however a relatively high number of juvenile warblers were caught compared to previous visits this year. The low numbers could partly be due to a poor breeding season and lower bird populations in general, combined with the growth of the vegetation at the reserve making it a less favourable site for warblers and for us to catch warblers than when ringing started there. As the breeding season for many species is coming to an end, we used MP3 players playing mixed warbler calls to try and catch more warblers and this was successful. 

The final totals were 18 Chiffchaff, 3 Willow Warbler, 10 Reed Warbler, 13 Blackcap, 4 Garden Warbler, 1 Lesser Whitethroat, 1 Treecreeper, 2 Wren, 2 Robin, and 1 Reed Bunting. The 55 birds made for an enjoyable and interesting demonstration for the group and several other visitors to the reserve.

Thanks to Nottinghamshire Wildlife Trust for allowing us to hold the demonstration on the reserve.

Alex T